An Elmira, New York, elementary school resolves its playground disputes by allowing students to settle most of their own disagreements with the help of upperelementary students trained as conflict managers. Adult supervisors stop fights and give disputants a choice: discuss the problem with the principal or the conflict managers. Kids invariably…

A research psychologist at Princeton (Ohio) City Schools attributes district success to a polished management by objectives (MBO) approach helping educators set priorities, stay focused, and meet educational goals. Steps for determining district needs, developing objectives, and monitoring progress are provided. Schools have flexibility to tackle…

A large California school district provides on-the-job management training at building and central office levels for 10 promising school employees (including teachers) annually. Trainees develop 15 administrative competencies through hands-on experience and exposure to 4 activities: working with mentors, district seminars, training sessions, and…

Union and school board representatives studied basic negotiating techniques at a five-day workshop. Improved relations and cooperation were the result. (MLF)

A training program used successfully in more that 40 school systems consists of an intensive 5-day workshop involving lectures, role-playing exercises, simulated negotiations, and indepth discussions about bargaining issues. (MLF)

An interagency truancy prevention team tries to look at the family as a whole and then work together to solve problems. Five agencies comprise the network: (1) school system; (2) juvenile and domestic court services; (3) police juvenile division; (4) department of social services; and (5) city/county mental health counseling services. (MLF)

Describes Interplay, a program to help problem kids develop the confidence they need to become active learners. The idea is to create a sense of cohesive group identity, using activities that help children respect each other, support each other's learning attempts, and accept each other's mistakes as necessary steps in learning. (MLH)

Integrating art into the curriculum engages most students, enhances their creative expression, and benefits them academically. Even bored, rebellious, and unmotivated students respond to the arts. Elliot Eisner and other discipline-based art education proponents feel the arts are central to enjoyable learning. Exemplary K-12 programs are…

The key to an employee-supported evaluation system is involving a significant majority of those affected in the planning process. This article describes the development of a new evaluation system for 200 administrators and supervisiors based on attitude surveys and a large administrator-dominated steering committee. (MLH)

At the American Association of School Administrators' 124th annual meeting in February 1992, participating superintendents pursued improving public schooling design to achieve the results that communities are increasingly demanding. After detailing obstacles to success, speakers laid out workable solutions involving total quality management,…

Planning meetings requires careful attention to three essential elements: purpose, participants' needs and expectations, and a suitable agenda. Meetings are great for problem solving, professional development, and team building. Serving snacks; choosing a comfy, well-arranged setting; adopting brainstorming rules; and involving teachers as…